Nearly four months ago, former Eastern quarterback Tony Romo's attempt to make the National Football league was in limbo.

Gary Waldschmidt, turf technician with Pittsburgh based ProGrass, cuts pieces of turf to fit into the Ohio Valley Conference logo Friday morning at O'Brien Field. After being cut and fit into place, the pieces will be glued together. Work is supposed to be finished on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Two weeks before Eastern enters the fall part of the 2003-2004 golf season, the Panthers are without a head coach.

There are so many questions left unanswered entering the fall sports season.

As of today, Eastern head football coach Bob Spoo has a starting quarterback for the Aug. 30 opener vs. California (Pa.).

After having three different goalkeepers battle for the starting role last season, Eastern head coach Adam Howarth had to make a tough decision.

Eastern coach Jim Schmitz has been down this road before, and he understands what his team has to do to come out of the middle of the pack in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Eastern's golf squads both achieved their highest finishes in school history at the 2003 Ohio Valley Conference Championships.

One win and they're in.

I've seen some seniors come through this place and use this space to write a long, sap-infested column about how they were grateful to cover Eastern sports. Other DEN staffers write about how they were grateful to cover the athletes hidden behind the nooks and crannies of this bagel-bound corner of central Illinois.

With its under card all completed, the Eastern men's and women's track and field teams will now prepare for the main event.

Fans don't need a scorebook to tell when Henry Domercant is playing a great game.